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She looked at me and mused, “You were the only one of your family to call me by my nickname. Why?”
“I wanted you to see me differently. That I was closer to you, like family, because I called you by the name that people who loved you the most called you.” I kissed the tip of her nose. “If I could take back how I hurt you, I would. All I can do moving forward is never fucking hurt you again.”
Spirit sighed. “I miss the arrogant you. The sweet you, makes it hard for me to keep my distance.”
“I don’t want you to. I want us to get to know one another again.”
“Let’s just see what happens.” She answered, though I saw the doubt flicker in her eyes. “Come on, let’s go so we can leave.”
As she walked ahead, I wondered if I did the right thing bringing her to the lion’s den. I didn’t own her or have any claims on her. Hell, I wasn’t even her plug yet. Only ballers hung out here. Eligible men who would take one look at Spirit with that pretty face and shapely body and take her right from under my nose. I quickened my steps and placed a possessive hand on her lower back. When we walked through the doors and club, I greeted a few familiar men and women on my way to see MJ.
“Why do they call you JJ?” Spirit asked.
“Short for Jesse James,” I explained as we walked in and out of dark rooms blasting different genres of music where people freely used marijuana. We would definitely have a contact high in this place. “It’s my nickname when I’m here playing dice. The outlaw Jesse James was killed with a forty-five, and four and five is a winning combination in craps.” At her confused look. “It was the closest to the first letter in my name, and I used to be bad when I was a boy, so there you go.”
“You must come here a lot.” She quirked a brow. “You bring your women here?”
“Do I have women that I bring here? No. Have I met women here? Yes.” I tapped her lower back softly. “I know how you women get when you start comparing yourself to the last one. We’re not bringing up other women on this brief trip, okay?”
“Excuse me?” Spirit stopped walking. I closed my eyes briefly at my own errant mouth. “Don’t ever compare me to another of your women because I’m not your woman. It was a simple question. You answered it. The rest of what you said was unnecessary.”
I twisted my neck. “Sorry. Can we find MJ so we can get out of here?”
She glared and walked ahead of me straight into the arms of the handsome and charming Malcolm Jacobs. “MJ?”
“Spirit from Jackson, Mississippi. What are you doing here?” He held her warmly and kept his arms around her as he pulled back to look at her face. “Still as pretty as when you were a little girl. How is that sister of yours?”
“Trinity is good. Told me to tell you hi.”
“She still married?” he smiled.
“Happily.” She tapped his chest flirtatiously, and I swear I wanted to punch the shit out of him.
“How did you find out about me here?”
“I flew here with Jace. He’s investing in my restaurant, and we need some THC and CBD.” MJ finally noticed me when she pointed at me, refusing to look in my direction.
His smile grew wide. “I didn’t know you were rolling in.” We hugged and stepped back. “You have time for a game.”
“Not really. I wanted to pick up some supplies and show her around. Spirit isn’t comfortable with marijuana. Trying to get her to loosen up.”
Spirit wrapped her arm around MJ’s. “I’m getting more comfortable by the minute.”
“Come on, let me bring you to my recreation shop.” MJ was a player and loved women. The way Spirit described me to him seemed impersonal. He probably thought we were only just partners or a sneaky link. “Did you get a chance to go home for the holidays?”
“I did. I saw your Mama at church on Christmas Day. Crazy how I see you a couple of months later.”
“Must be meant.” He flirted.
I sighed loudly, “Like the other women you’ve said that to today.” I know it was petty as fuck, but MJ was not about to move in on the woman I did want to make mine.
He looked back over his shoulder at me. “My bad, she yours?”
“Yes,” I replied.
“No,” she answered with a roll of her eyes.
“Did you just roll your eyes?” I asked.
